New York Herald, “Political Excitement on the Rise,” October 30, 1859

Tabs

“Political Excitement on the Rise,” New York Herald, October 30, 1859, p. 4: 3.

Newspaper: Publication:

New York Herald

Newspaper: Headline:

Political Excitement on the Rise

Newspaper: Page(s):

4

Newspaper: Column:

3

Type:

Newspaper

Date Certainty:

Exact

Transcriber:

Don Sailer, Dickinson College

Transcription date:

03/10/2009

Transcription

The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original.

POLITICAL EXCITEMENT ON THE RISE. – There are now some three or four State elections under way, viz: in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and in some of the Western States, and a great political excitement is attending them everywhere in consequence of the attempted rebellion at Harper’s Ferry. Galusha Grow, of Pennsylvania; Tom Corwin, oh Ohio, and Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts, are prowling about this State looking after our State election. The present political activity is due entirely to the Harper’s Ferry conspiracy, and that event will certainly give a new complexion to all the coming elections.

There is no doubt that both the nigger-worshippers of the North and the nigger-drivers of the South got up the fights in Kansas, and committed many lawless acts – probably were guilty of treason – but in the confusion and violence of the hour it did not receive the legal attention of the government or the country at large. The Harper’s Ferry rebellion is but a second edition of the Kansas affair, and both are the result of the repeal of the Missouri compromise.

The unfortunate men who took up arms at Harper’s Ferry were unquestionably spirited on by Seward, Wilson and other republican leaders, and these gentlemen are, by this atrocious outrage, placed on the defensive. They stand before the public responsible for the conspiracy and the bloodshed in which it resulted – practical traitors and conspirators against the peace of the Union. The extraordinary political activity observable at the present time has been brought about by the discovery that leading Senators, Congressmen, Governors and ex-Governors of States were cognizant of this first notable conspiracy against the government, if not direct aiders and abettors of it, and hence the fluttering in the dovecotes of the republican party. The Harper’s Ferry rebellion is but the practical issue of all the anti-slavery agitation, which is nothing better than an anti-Union crusade, and the effect of it will be most marked on all the pending State elections, and still more so on the Presidential contest of next year.